Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory

P.C. Dailybhutan.com (Bhutanis Ludlow

)

The pristine Trashi Yangtse is a homestay for many endangered floras and faunas of Bhutan. The place is endowed with affluent species of plants and animals escalating the natural beauty. Ludlow’s Bhutan Swallowtail (Bhutanitis Ludlowi) is no ordinary butterfly in Bhutan and it is one of the country’s principal butterflies. Bhutanese forester first heard the name of the butterfly when specimens of the butterfly were collected by two Italian Botanist, Frank Ludlow and George Sheriff during their brief expedition to eastern Bhutan in 1933-1994. Karma Wangdi, a keen forester working in Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment in Bumthang started his mission to search the butterfly in the year 2009. After tiresome years along the ridges of Khulongchu and Bumdeling valley he finally spotted and rediscovered the butterfly somewhere along the shore of Tobrang, remote region at Bumdeling gewog in Trashi Yangtse. The rediscovery was a landmark in the conservation of Bhutan’s wildlife.  In 2011, the joint study was further conducted at Tobrang valley by Ministry of Agriculture and Forest (MoAF), guides and Butterfly Society of Japan (BSJ). Another joint team consisting Bhutanese researchers, NHK crews and several guides conducted the study in the hope of rediscovery. Apart from the research conducted to study its metamorphosis, life cycle and natural habitats, study on the number of butterflies in Tobrang area of Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary have remained unattempted.  

The spectacular creature usually inhabits along the deciduous ridge of cool broad-leaved vegetation and dominantly depends on evergreen perennial plant, Aristolochiaceae. The butterfly thrives in primary forest often in the climatic condition characterized by tropical monsoon and the favorable site is found out to be at an elevation ranging from 2200-2500 m above sea level. Nowadays, it is spotted flying in the month of August especially the toll increases when the temperature is high along the creek of Buyang-Keoncholing and on the farm road towards Gangkhar. Intricately coloured with bright long-rounded forewings and multi-tailed hindwings contribute to the natural beauty of Bhutan. The butterfly has contrasting upper dull black colour and cream-tinted stripes running vertically throughout its wide spread wings. In 2012, this rare butterfly was officially pronounced as the National Butterfly of Bhutan by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest (MoAF).